29 German Soldiers May Have Joined The Islamic State

© Reuters

The Local: German soldiers 'may have joined Isis in Syria'

At least 29 German soldiers have travelled to Syria or Iraq in recent years, an internal military report has found, with some believed to have joined terror group Isis.

The internal report from the military counter-intelligence service MAD, seen by DPA, also showed that 65 active soldiers are currently under investigation on suspicion of having Islamist sympathies.

Since 2007, the Bundeswehr (German army) has identified 22 soldiers in its ranks as Islamists and relieved 17 of them from their duties.

The remaining five had reached the end of their service by the time the investigation concluded.

That overall figure has increased by four cases since the first report on Islamists in the army in 2015.

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More News On Reports That A Number Of German Soldiers Have Joined The Islamic State

German Army Wants Recruits Checked Over Extremist Concerns -- AP
29 German soldiers have joined ISIS, army may contain dozens of jihadist sympathizers – report -- RT
Security Services Say 29 Germany's Ex-Soldiers Left for Syria, Iraq -- Sputnik
Germany seeks to screen army recruits to combat Islamist infiltration -- Europe Online Magazine
Germany To Crack Down On Islamist Infiltrators -- Newsweek

Germany Dismisses U.S. Request For More Military Assistance Against The Islamic State

German Chancellor Angela Merkel attends the weekly cabinet meeting at the Chancellery in Berlin, Germany, December 1, 2015. REUTERS/Fabrizio Bensch

Reuters: Merkel dismisses U.S. request for more military help against Islamic State

BERLIN (Reuters) - Chancellor Angela Merkel on Sunday brushed off what a Germany magazine said was a request from the United States to provide more military help in the fight against Islamic State.

"I believe Germany is fulfilling its part and we don't need to talk about new issues related to this question at the moment," Merkel told the ZDF broadcaster when asked about the Der Spiegel magazine report of the U.S. request.

Der Spiegel reported on Saturday that U.S. Defense Secretary Ashton Carter had sent a letter asking for a bigger military contribution from Germany, a week after parliament approved a plan to join the campaign in Syria.

Previous Post: U.S. Asks Germany For More Military Aid In the War Against The Islamic State

WNU Editor: The Germans are sending a very clear message to the U.S. .... "don't bug us for more help".

U.S. Asks Germany For More Military Aid In the War Against The Islamic State

German Defense Minister Ursula von der Leyen and U.S. Secretary of Defense Ashton Carter hold a news conference during a visit to the NATO Response Force Very High Readiness Joint Task Force unit in Muenster, Germany, June 22. According to "Der Spiegel," Carter has sent a letter asking for a bigger military contribution from Berlin in the fight against the Islamic State. WOLFGANG RATTAY/REUTERs

The Guardian/Reuters: US asks Germany for more military aid against Isis, report says

* US defense secretary sent Berlin letter seeking greater military support
* German defense minister has said country is looking into troop levels

The US has asked Germany for more military help in the fight against Islamic State, a German magazine reported on Saturday, a week after the country’s parliament approved a plan to join the campaign in Syria.

Der Spiegel said US defense secretary Ashton Carter had sent a letter asking for a bigger military contribution from Berlin.

Germany’s mission currently includes six Tornado reconnaissance jets, a frigate to protect the French aircraft carrier Charles de Gaulle, refuelling aircraft and up to 1,200 troops.

WNU Editor: The Germans are far from ready to provide help .... Germany's Air Force Not Ready To Participate In The Coalition Against The Islamic State. It also looks like they are now facing a massive internal security problem .... German spy chief warns of 1,000+ radical Islamists ready to attack (RT).

Germany's Air Force Not Ready To Participate In The Coalition Against The Islamic State

Journalists stand in front of a Tornado aircraft of the Tactical Air Force Wing 51 'Immelmann' during a presentation at German army Bundeswehr airbase in Jagel near the German-Danish border, December 4, 2015. © REUTERS/ FABIAN BIMMER

Sputnik: Ready for Anti-Daesh Fight? Germany's Air Force is Collapsing

Germany might be eager to take part in the anti-Daesh efforts but some of its military capabilities are quite limited.

"Germany's Air Force is in bad shape. For years, its fighter planes have fallen into disrepair due to lack of spare parts, with the number of its flyable, operational warplanes now at one of its lowest points," Robert Beckhusen wrote for the War is Boring website.

Berlin among other things plans to send six Panavia Tornado multirole fighters to conduct reconnaissance flights in Syria, which does not say much without a context.

Germany has a total of 93 Tornadoes, 66 of which are available for deployment but only 29 are actually combat ready, Der Spiegel detailed, citing a recent report of Germany's Defense Ministry. Earlier this week, Germany's defense chief Ursula von der Leyen told ARD that 30 Tornado aircraft were fully operational but differing numbers do not really change the fact that the situation is getting worse.

WNU Editor: The German Air Force is saying that they are ready for deployment .... albeit at half strength .... Less than half of German air force fleet ready for deployment (DW).

Germany To Assist In Military Operations Against The Islamic State

New York Times: German Parliament Votes to Send Military Assistance to Fight ISIS

BERLIN — The German Parliament voted overwhelmingly on Friday to send reconnaissance planes, a frigate and midair fueling capacity to the Middle East to aid the campaign against the Islamic State in Syria, although German forces will not be involved in direct combat like airstrikes.

The vote — with 445 in favor, 146 against and seven abstentions — was expected, given the large parliamentary majority commanded by Chancellor Angela Merkel’s “grand coalition” government of center-right and center-left.

A sprinkling of center-left lawmakers from the Social Democrats joined the opposition — Greens and the Left party — in voting against the deployment.

Even 70 years after World War II, Germany remains wary of using its military outside the NATO alliance, and such missions require parliamentary approval.

More News On Germany's Parliament Voting To Approve Military Operations Against The Islamic States

German parliament approves military campaign against Islamic State in Syria -- Reuters
German parliament approves military action in Syria against IS -- AFP
German Lawmakers OK Mission Against Islamic State Militants -- AP
German Parliament Approves Action Against ISIS -- WSJ
Syria conflict: German MPs vote for anti-IS military mission -- BBC
Merkel Wins Parliamentary Backing for Warplanes Into Syria -- Bloomberg
German Parliament Votes to Send Anti-ISIS Support to Syria -- Time
German Bundestag approves sending 1,200 troops on anti-ISIS 'support' mission in Syria -- RT
Netherlands Bombing ISIS? Dutch Debate Joining Syria Airstrikes Against Islamic State Group -- IBTimes
Germany Is The Latest Country to Approve Military Campaign Against Islamic State in Syria -- Vice News